Filing apparatus



March 18,' 1952 R. B. HQLT FILING APPARATUS Filed Aug. 1.0, 1950 INVENToR. @Hf/MUN@ 3. m7'

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Patented Mar. 1.8, 1952 UNITEDl STATES PATENT OFFICE FILING APPARATUS Raymond B. Holt, Alhambra, Calif.

Application August10, 1950, Serial No. 178,600

6 Claims.

The present invention relates to filing apparatus of the type in which removable cards are mounted for convenient access upon a rotatable structure.

The present invention contemplates the provision of an improved filing apparatus of the above mentioned character which incorporates a one-way clutch to allow rotation of the cards in only one direction, and to provide means whereby the stack of cards may be supported for convenient reference in any one of a plurality of adjustable positions. Also, an important feature of this invention is that the structure for accomplishing these purposes is relatively simple and inexpensive. Such simplicity and inexpensiveness results in a large part from providing a standard with resiliently supported upwardly extending legs, such legs serving as part of the one-way clutch assembly, i. e., a spring whereby the cooperating parts of the one-way clutch are at all times biased in engaging relationship.

It is therefore an object ofthe present` invention to provide an improved, simpliiied and inexpensive construction for achieving the aforementioned results.

A specific object of the present invention is to lprovide an improved structure of this character which is easily manufactured and assembled without the requirement of ,precision made parts.

The features of' the present invention which are believed to be novel are set forth with particularity in the appended claims. This invention itself, both as to its organization and manner of operation, together with further objects and advantages thereof, may be best understood by reference to the following description taken lin connection with the accompanying drawing in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view showing iiling :apparatus embodying the present invention;

Figure 2 is a sectional view taken substantially on the line 2-2 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken substantially on the line 3 3 of Figure 2;

Figures 4 and 5 are sectional views taken substantially on the lines 4 4 and 5--5, respectively, of Figure 3;

Figure 6 is a perspective View showing in disassembled form the cooperating parts of the oneway clutch and associated knob incorporated in the apparatus shown in Figure 1.

The filing apparatus includes a standard or bracket Ill adapted for support on a table top or for mounting on a wall. This standard I is formed by bending a metal rod to provide a transversely extending base portion IGA contiguous with the side portions IUB, IIJC and upwardly extending inclined legsV IUD, IDE. The standard IIJ, if desired, may be provided with tubular members II of elastic material tov provide an antifriction means to prevent sliding of the standard on its supporting surface.

The upward ends of the legs IBD, IUE are each bent to provide apair of spaced bearing members IGF, IDG, respectively (Figures 2 and 4), wherein a crank member I2V has its opposite ends I2A, I2B journaled for rotation.

The crank end I2A has affixed thereto the knob I4, and the other crank end` I2B has the knob I5 affixed thereto, so that the crank I2 may be rotated in the spaced bearings IIIF, IUG'.

The crank member I2 has welded thereto a pair of spaced card supporting rings I'l, I8 with such rings I1, I8 encircling the card engaging portion I2E of the crank end with the axes of the rings I1, I8 axially aligned with the axis of rotation of the crank, i. e., axially aligned with the crank ends I2A, I2B.

The rings I'I, I8 are adapted to. engage the spaced apertured portion-s 20, 2| in each of. the cards 22 to support them. Such cards are of conventional construction and have a slitted portion 23, 24 extending from an edge thereof to such apertured portions 201,21, to allow the cards to be placed on and removedfrom the supporting ring I1, I8 Without tearing the cards.

It should be clearly noted that the portion. I2E (Figure 2) of the rotatablek crank, whichA is adapted to engage the cards, toimove the same, is disposed within the connes of the rings. ITI', IB, so that the crank member applies a force to such cards generally along a line extending generally parallel to their lower edges and below the apertured portionsZ, 2 I.

An important feature of the present invention is the provision of a one-way clutch assembly 3i), which allows rotation of the crank I2 in only one direction, i. e., the counterclockwise direction in Figure 1, while yet allowing the cards on the rings I1, I8 to be maintained in a position of stable equilibrium, as shown in Figure 1, wherein a por,- tion of the card stack is in an elevated position resting against the crank portion I2E, while the other portion of the stack is suspended on the rings I'I, I8.

This clutch assembly 3D depends for its operation on the resilient nature of the standard Ill, i. e., the upper ends of the standard legs IED, LSE (Figure 1) are movable due to the inherent resiliency of the met-a1 rod forming the standard I0. The inherent resiliency of the standard II] is used to bias the cooperating clutch disks 3I, 32 in engagement at all times.

The inner clutch disk 3 I has a series of circumferentially disposed integrally formed locking tongues 3|A adapted to cooperate with a corresponding series of integrally formed locking tongues 32A extending inwardly of the outer clutch disk 32. These tongues 3 IA, 32A are struck from the clutch disks 3|, 32 such that they cooperate to allow relative movement of the outer clutch disk 32 with respect to the inner clutch disk 3| in the counterclockwise direction in Figure 1 but prevent clockwise rotation.

Inner clutch disk 3| has a pair of inwardly extending spaced lugs 3IB either struck from the disk or Welded thereto, arranged to partially encircle the upwardly extending standard leg IDE, to thereby maintain the inner clutch disk 3| stationary with respect to the standard III and to prevent rotation of the clutch disk 3|.

On the other hand, the outer clutch disk 32 is provided with a similar pair of lugs 32B adapted to partially encircle a web member I5A (Figure 6) of the knob I5, whereby the clutch disk 32 is effectively locked to the knob I5 and turns therewith.

The knob I5 is secured by means of set screw ISB to the crank shaft I2, and thus provides an abutment against which the clutch disks 3|, 32, as a unit, are pressed with the locking tongues 3IA, 32A in cooperative relationship for producing the aforementioned results.

In operation of the filing apparatus, the individual cards are placed on the rings I'I, I8 by temporarily deforming the cards at their slitted portions 23, 24. Once the cards are thus on the rings I'I, I8, they may be rotated in the counterclockwise direction only in Figure 1 upon grasping and rotating the knobs I4, I5 in that direction. The cards are thus rotated generally from a lowermost position to an uppermost position, and when the desired card or group of cards reaches substantially its uppermost point of travel, the knobs I4, I5 are released and the cards are maintained bythe one-way clutch 30 in a position of stable equilibrium, as shown in Figure 1, where they may be conveniently ,inspected.

While the particular embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that changes and modifications may be made without ldeparting from this invention in its broader aspects and, therefore, the aim in the appended claims is to cover all such changes and rnodiiica-` tions as fall within the true spirit and scope of this invention.

I claim:

1. Apparatus of the character described, comprising, a standard having a pair of resiliently supported legs, bent at their extreme ends to form spaced bearings, a crank having aligned opposite ends rotatably mounted in said spaced bearings, a one-way clutch assembly mounted on one of said crank ends, said one-way clutch comprising two disks centrally mounted on said one end with cooperating locking means on adjacent abutting faces thereof, one of said disks having a pair of spaced lugs on opposite sides of said one leg and cooperating therewith to prevent said one disk from turning, a knob on said one crank end, said knob having an internal web, the' other one of said disks having a pair of spaced lugs cooperating with said web whereby said other disk rotates with said knob, and said one leg resiliently pressing said abutting faces together.

2. Apparatus of the character described, comprising, a standard having a pair of resiliently supported legs, a crank rotatably mounted on said standard, a one-Way clutch assembly mounted on said crank, said one-way clutch comprising two disks with cooperating locking means on adjacent abutting faces thereof, one of said disks having a pair of spaced lugs cooperating with one of said legs to prevent said one disk from turning, a knob on said crank, said knob having an internal web, the other one of said disks having a pair of spaced lugs cooperating with said web whereby said other disk rotates with said knob, and said one leg resiliently pressing said abutting faces together.

3. Apparatus of the character described, comprising, a standard having a pair of resiliently supported legs, a crank rotatably mounted von said standard, a one-way clutch assembly mounted on said crank, said one-way clutch comprising two clutch members with cooperating locking means thereon, one of said clutch members having means cooperating with one of said legs to prevent said one clutch member from turning, a knob on said crank, and means cooperating between the other one of said clutch members and said knob whereby said other clutch member rotates with said knob, and said one leg A resiliently pressing said locking means together.

4. Apparatus of the character described, comprising, a standard having a resiliently supported bearing member, a crank member rotatably supported on said standard and in said bearing member, a one-way clutch mounted on said crank member, means mounting one element of said clutch stationary with respect to said standard, an abutment mounted on said crank, and said resilient bearing member pressing the clutch elements into cooperating engagement and against said abutment, and means for rotating the other one of said clutch elements.

5. Filing apparatus of the character described, comprising, a standard having a resiliently supported bearing member, a crank member rotatably supported on said standard and in said bearing member, a one-way clutch mounted on said crank member, means mounting one element of said clutch stationary with respect to said standard, an abutment mounted on said crank, and said resilient bearing member pressing the clutch elements into cooperating engagement and against said abutment, and means for rotating the other one of said clutch elements, said crank member having a plurality of spaced card supporting rings coaxially mounted with respect to the axis of rotation of said crank with said crank being arranged to contact a card along a line extending generally parallel with the axis of rotation.

6. Filing apparatus of the character described, comprising, a standard, a crank member rotatably supported on said standard, a one-way clutch, means mounting one element of said clutch stationary with respect to said standard, means RAYMOND B. HOLT.

No references cited. 

